As described in, e.g., Patent Document 1, a cylindrical battery for an alkaline secondary battery, such as a nickel-cadmium battery or a nickel-metal hydride battery, is configured such that a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate each having a belt shape are wounded spirally with a separator being interposed to form an electrode assembly and the electrode assembly is accommodated and sealed in a cylindrical battery case (referred to as a battery outer case or a container). In order to enhance capacity, this cylindrical battery is configured such that the battery case accommodates the columnar electrode assembly obtained by spirally winding the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate in the belt shapes with the separator being interposed so as to be almost solid in the battery case.
Although the increase of capacity of cylindrical batteries has been enhanced in recent years, the applicant of the present invention has been developing a cylindrical battery of low capacity, which corresponds to a purpose of use. More specifically, the applicant of the present invention has been trying to reduce the number of times of spirally winding the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate in the belt shapes and accommodate the cylindrical electrode assembly in the battery case.